KSF's Silent Transformation

Constitutional changes are necessary for the KSF from an emergency response force to become a force with capacity and military or defence mission. But these changes are currently holding Serbian community deputies hostage, without the majority of their votes, constitutional amendments are impossible.

The position of Serbian deputies is in line with Belgrade's current policy, which opposes the formation of the upcoming Kosovo Army.

Officials at the Ministry of the Kosovo Security Force say it is constantly working on the process of transforming this Force. They say converting the KSF into the Armed Forces should take place as soon as possible, as, according to them, proper capacities have already been achieved.

Deputy Minister of the Kosovo Security Force Agim Ceku told Radio Free Europe that silent transformation is a process that is under way.

The KSF is currently in the process of building its capacities, given the upcoming mission as our country's army. So the new equipment, and everything that is done at KSF, as equipment, training, field exercise, is done to build the capacity that KSF needs”.

“Capacity for the current mission has fulfilled in 2013, and the NATO North Atlantic Council has declared it itself. Since then we are constantly preparing for the new mission, the military mission for protection of territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo as any army of any normal country”, Ceku said.

He said the KSF could still be considered the Kosovo Army, though constitutional and legal changes would be needed to change the name, but also the mission, which is also being worked on during the transformation process.

“De facto Kosovo has its army, and this is the KSF today. We as KSF act as armies, we look like armies, we feel like armies and we are recognised by others as armies. So this transformation or transition is taking place and the KSF has all of its work and it develops in this direction to achieve that target”, Ceku said.

In contrast, military and security issues connoisseur Naim Maloku points out that in the KSF, operational skills and opportunities from equipping with certain means have been established, but, as he says, there can be no receiving additional responsibilities without constitutional changes.

He has positively assessed the signing of the contract between US company AM General and the Government of Kosovo for equipping the Kosovo Security Force with 51 Humvee-type vehicles.

“are extraordinary modern, high-level devices that have been accepted these days at KSF. It's to thank that donation of the United States of America”, Maloku says.

The Kosovo Security Force is a force of quick emergency responses and has no defence mission. To change this mission, Maloku says constitutional and legal changes will be needed, but which cannot be made without the approval of MPs from the Serb community in the Kosovo Assembly.

It is well that NATO is here and is responsible for Kosovo's territorial integrity. We don't have the capacity to take that responsibility, and with these steps thinking those becoming the army, so that even 30 years is not done, the KSF is unable to assume NATO's responsibility for Kosovo”, Maloku said.

He also said that everything that is currently happening within the Security Force, such as training, equipment supplies or exercise, is done within the legal framework for KSF.

NATO officials and international partners have indicated the position that transforming the Kosovo Security Forces into Armed Forces should be done through constitutional changes, which so far have been rejected by Serb political representatives in the Kosovo Assembly. Kosovo authorities have stressed that if this rejection of constitutional changes continues by Serb political representatives at a certain moment, they will be obliged to mandate the Kosovo Army by law.

Kosovo authorities have consistently declared that the Kosovo Armed Forces, in the future, will be a factor of stability within Kosovo and for the region, while Serbia's authorities see these forces as dangerous for peace and as a factor of instability in the region.

However, NATO officials and international partners have indicated the position that transforming the Kosovo Security Forces into Armed Forces should be done through constitutional changes, which so far have been rejected by Serb political representatives in the Kosovo Assembly.

Kosovo authorities have stressed that if this rejection of constitutional changes continues by Serb political representatives at a certain moment, they will be obliged to mandate the Kosovo Army by law.

The Kosovo Security Force is a multiethnic, uniformised and equipped with light weapons. The KSF was established in 2009, according to the General Plan for the Status of Kosovo, of President Martti Ahtisaari, on which Kosovo's independence was declared. The KSF numbers more than 2,000 members, of whom 200 belong to minority communities, while 100 were from the Serb community.